1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications. More particularly, the present invention relates to optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications with attenuated light leakage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic fabrications are formed microelectronic substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronic conductor layers which are separated by microelectronic dielectric layers.
Within the general art of microelectronic fabrication, there exist purely electronic microelectronic fabrications whose operation is based solely upon electrical signal storage and processing characteristics of purely electronic microelectronic devices and microelectronic circuits formed upon a microelectronic substrate. Examples of such purely electronic microelectronic fabrications typically include, but are not limited to, semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrications and ceramic substrate microelectronic fabrications. Similarly, there also exist within the general art of microelectronic fabrication microelectronic fabrications whose operation is based upon a codependent transduction, storage and/or processing of optical and electrical signals while employing optoelectronic microelectronic devices formed upon a microelectronic substrate. Examples of such optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications typically include, but are not limited to: (1) solar cell optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications; and (2) image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications such as but not limited to: (a) sensor image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications; and (b) display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications. Sensor image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications typically find use within electronic devices such as digital cameras, while display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications analogously find use within electronic devices such as digital projectors and personal computer user interface displays.
While optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications are thus clearly desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication insofar as they often provide a means for realizing unique consumer product applications within the art of microelectronic fabrication, optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications in general, and more particularly display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications, are nonetheless not entirely without problems in the art of microelectronic fabrication. In that regard, it is often difficult in the art of display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication to fabricate display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications with attenuated light (i.e., optical radiation) leakage.
It is thus desirable in the art of display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication to fabricate display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications with attenuated light leakage.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications having desirable properties, and methods for fabrication thereof, have been disclosed in the art of optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication.
Included among the optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications and methods for fabrication thereof, but not limited among the optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications and methods for fabrication thereof, are optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications and methods for fabrication thereof disclosed within: (1) Te Velde, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,619 (a reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication fabricated such that an effective optical path length difference between two optical states of a liquid crystal material layer formed therein differs by one-half a central wavelength of optical radiation incident upon the reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication); (2) Stevanov et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,289 (a method for fabricating a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication such as to provide a silicon semiconductor substrate base substrate which is asymmetrically offset with respect to a glass substrate capping substrate; (3) Booth, Jr. et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,442 (an anti-reflection layer for use in attenuating light leakage within a spatial light modulator, such as a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, where the anti-reflection layer has a surface formed as an array of micro-conical protrusions); and (4) Miller et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,392 (a display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, such as a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, wherein a silicon substrate base substrate is spaced from a glass substrate capping substrate by a series of spacer layers photolithographically formed as metallization layers formed upon the silicon substrate base substrate).
Desirable in the art of display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication are additional methods and materials which may be employed for forming display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrications with attenuated light leakage.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the invention is to provide a display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, and a method for fabricating the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication.
A second object of the present invention is to provide the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication and the method for fabricating the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication in accord with the first object of the present invention, wherein the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication is fabricated with attenuated light leakage.
A third object of the present invention is to provide the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication and the method for fabricating the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication in accord with the first object of the present invention and the second object of the present invention, wherein the method is readily commercially implemented.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention: (1) a method for fabricating a base substrate for a display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication; and (2) the base substrate for the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, as fabricated employing the method.
To practice the method of the present invention, there is first provided a base substrate having formed therein a switching element. There is then formed over the base substrate and the switching element a patterned optical barrier layer which defines an aperture having formed therein an electrical contact for the switching element. Within the present invention, the electrical contact is laterally separated within the aperture from the patterned optical barrier layer by an annular gap. There is then formed at least in part within the annular gap an annular optical baffle layer. Finally, there is formed at least in part over the patterned optical barrier layer and electrically connected with the electrical contact a pixel electrode plate layer.
There is provided by the present invention a display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication and a method for fabricating the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, wherein the display image array optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication is fabricated with an attenuated light leakage.
The present invention realizes the foregoing object by forming at least in part within an annular gap interposed between: (1) a patterned optical barrier layer which defines an aperture; and (2) a electrical contact formed within the aperture and laterally separated from the patterned optical barrier layer by the annular gap, an annular optical baffle layer. Within the present invention, when there is further formed over the patterned optical barrier layer and electrically connected with the electrical contact a pixel electrode plate layer, the annular optical baffle layer provides for attenuated light leakage to a switching element formed beneath the patterned optical barrier layer.
The method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented.
The present invention employs methods and materials as are generally known in the art of optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication, but employed within the context of a specific process ordering to provide a specific optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication structure in accord with the present invention. Since it is thus a specific process ordering and a specific resulting optoelectronic microelectronic fabrication structure which provides at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of methods and materials which provides the present invention, the method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented.